Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 676,628. Patented lune l8, 190i. F. H. MERRILL & F. HICKMAN.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 3, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 676 628. Patented, June l3, i90l. F. H. MERRILL &. F. HICKMA'N.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 3, 1900.)

2 Sheets8heet 2.

(No Model.)

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MERRILL, OF PLAINFIELD, AND FRANCIS HICKMAN, OF

BOUNDBROOK,

NEW JERSEY.

ACETYL'ENE-GAS G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 676,628, dated June 18,1901. Application filed August 3, 1900- Serial No. 25,787. (No model.)

To (0 whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK H. MERRILL, of Plainfield, Union county, andFRANCIS HICKMAN, of Boundbrook, Somerset county, State of New Jersey,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-Generators,

of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in acetylene-generators, andcomprises certain novel features, which will be hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of our device. Figs. 2 and 3 areelevations taken from points at right angles to each other of thecarbid-holder removed from the generator. Figs. 4 and 5 show thecarbid-holder in sec tion, together with the carbid-feeding means, theparts being in different positions in the two figures.

Our apparatus is of that class of acetylenegenerators in which an excessof water is used-that is, a tank is supplied into which the carbid isdropped as the supply of gas is required, the feed of the carbid beingregulated by the rise and fall of a gasometer-bell.

The device as herein shown is a form of construction which is nowpreferred by us; but it is evident that many of the features ofconstruction might be varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention. We do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exactconstruction herein shown.

The generating-chamber and the gasometer are both mounted upon a hollowbase or bell B, the gasometer being of the usual form, consisting of awater-tank E and a bell E, which fits within the said water-tank so thatit may freely rise and fall therein, the water forming a seal to preventthe escape of gas. To properly guide the bell, a rod or bar 6 iscentrally secured within the bell and passes through a tube 6, whichextends above the level of water in the outer tank E and downward intothe hollow base or bell B. The

rod e? slides freely within the tube e, and the same tube is also usedto convey the gas from the base 13 to the gasometer-bell E. The lowerend of the tube 6, which projects within the base B, is preferablyprovided with lateral openings e close beneath the upper forms a waterseal.

wall of the base, so that the gas may have free entrance, even if thelevel of water in the base should vary. The chamber D, the lower portionof which, with a portion of the base B,forms the generating-chamber,ispreferably made circular and freely connecting with the hollow base 13.In the upper portion of the shell D, forming the outer wall of thischamber, is an additional shell D, forming between the two shells anannular tank, which, in connection with the bell or cover K, The cover Kis provided with a weighted upper end, which partially at leastcompensates for the pressure of gas within the apparatus.

The carbid-holder F is removable from the device. This holder consistsof a cylinder F, having a conical lower end f, provided with a centraldischarge-opening, and also having a ring f at its upper end, adapted toengage the upper end of the inner shell D of the generating-chamber.This ring f is also engaged by the inner surface of the head of thecover K. To the lower end of the carbidholder is pivoted a valve G,which consists of three principal parts, a sector-shaped bottom portion9 and two side plates g, the latter extending on opposite sides of thecone f and pivoted thereto. The curved portion g is curved to correspondwith the segment of a circle struck from the pivot-point. This hangs ata slight distance below the opening in the corbid-holder and so that itwill not touch the same when it is swung backward or forward. This valveis of sufficient area that the carbid, which should be of a smallgranular character, in falling through the discharge-opening will pileup on the valve without running over its edge unless the valve is swungto one side of its central position. In the position of the valve shownin Figs. 1 and 5 there will therefore be no feeding of carbid into thewater beneath, and consequently no generation of gas. It is preferredthat the curved portion 9 of the valve be provided with corrugations orslight ribs extending transversely of the same-that is, transversely ofthe direction of swing of the valve-so that there will be lessprobability of the carbid being jarred ofi. of the valve except when itis tilted.

The conical portion f, which closes the lower end of the carbid-holder,is provided with a stop f which is adapted to engage the valve andprevent its swinging past the central position in one direction. Toinsure that the valve will return to this position when unrestrained, acounterweight g is secured to the opposite side of the valve. One surface of this counterweight also forms a bearing for one end of thebell-crank lever I, by means of which the valve is swung. Thisbell-crank lever is pivoted upon a bracket, which is secured to apartition b, which separates the upper portion of the hollow base B intotwo chambers. The lever I, if necessary, is provided with acounterweight I to insure its return to the positionin which the valvecloses the discharge-openin g of the carbid-holder. Motion iscommunicated to the lever I to open the valve by means of a lever H,which has one end beneath the bell-crank lever and the other endprovided with a plate or flattened portion 77?, located beneath thelower end of the rod 6 which is connected with the gasometer-bell. Whenthe gasometer-bell falls to such a point that the lower end of the rod 6will engage the lever H, it will depress that end of the lever andelevate the opposite end, thus swinging the bell-crank lever I and thevalve G to one side, or toward the position shown in Fig. 4, thuspermitting the carbid which has been held back by the valve to bedischarged over one edge thereof into the water in the main tank. Assoon as the generation of gas has caused the bell E to rise the valvewill swing back toward its central or closed position, as shown in Fig.1.

A bar h is shown as extending across the base B and engaging one end ofthe lever H, so as to prevent it and the leverl from swinging too far inone direction. The bar it thus supports the two levers while the bell Eis raised.

The partition Z) divides the upper portion of the base into two separatechambers. This partition is provided with a series of holes Z), throughwhich the gas may pass from the generating-chamber B to the chamber 13which is connected with the gasometer. The base B is placed within atank A, and the level of water in said tank is carried at such a pointthat the water within the chamber 13 is at a slight distance above theholes b through the partition.

It is preferred that the base B should not be of circular outline inplan, but that it shall be more of a rectangular shape, having a Widthsufficient to accommodate the generating-chamber and the gasometer and alength suificient to accom modate both of these. This will make the basesubstantially twice as long as it is wide. It is also preferred that thetank A should be of circular outline, the object of this difference inconstruction being that the tank A should have a surface areaconsiderably greater than the area of the chamber B, which is connectedwith the gen erator.

The lever H, by means of which motion is communicated to the valve bythe gasometerbell, is supported on a rod 72, which extends through theupper wall of the base and depends within the base a sufficient distanceto form an efficient water seal, and thus to pre= vent escape of gasthrough the same. To the upper end of the rod h is connected anextension J, which is'preferably hinged thereto,said extension passingthrough a guide J 2 and at its upper end being provided with ahookadapted to engage the upper end of the cover K of the carbid-chamber.When it is desired to examine the carbid-holder, either to refill it orto determine how much carbid remains therein, it is first necessary tounhook the extension-bar J from the cover, which will result in the bardropping slighllyuntil the collar J, which is secured to the upper endof the rod h, rests upon the upper end of the tube 0. This drops thelever H to such a point that it will not be affected by the fall of thegasometer-bell, and it will therefore be impossible for the gasometer,it it should fall, to throw the lever I into any other than its normalpositipn, as shown in Fig. l. The cover K may then be removed from thegenerating-chamber with impunity and the carbid-holder removed. Thiswill result in the water-level in the chamberBrising due to the removalof the gas-pressure therefrom. As the outer tank A is of large areacompared with the area of the chamber B, the fall of water-level intheouter tank will be comparatively slight, and the water-level within thechamber B will therefore not fall a sufficient amount to permit the gaspassing backward through the openings 1). It is therefore possible toopen the generating-chamber and to recharge the carbid-holder withoutturning oif the supply of gas. The removal ofthe carbid-holder increasesthe gas-containing capacity of the generating-chamber an amount whichapproximately compensates for the difference in pressure. There willtherefore be little, if any, escape of gas by removing the cover of thegenerating-chamber.

The gas is conveyed from the device by means of a pipe a. A pipe aenters the bottom of the tank and has its inner end adjacent to thepoint where the carbid is deposited. This pipe outside of the tankextends upward to a level corresponding with the level of water desiredwithin the tank. It is preferably provided with a return-bend or otherdevice by which it may discharge into a separate receptacle L. A pipe Lis herein shown as extending to near the bottom of this receptacle L andat its upper end connecting with a jet-pump or hydraulic dischargingdevice M, of ordinary construction. The water for operating this deviceis supplied through a pipe N, which is provided with a regulating-valveN. A pipe 0 of cacharged through the pipe 0 into the tank,

which stirs up the sludge in the bottom of the tank and raises the levelof Water sufiiciently to cause an overflow through the pipe A into thereceptacle L.

It is designed that the capacity of the ejector M shall be at leastsuflicient to carry away water as fast as it is discharged into the tankthrough the pipe 0 in order to prevent the receptacle L fromoverflowing.

In some cases our device would be placed in a pit, and when this pit isformed in very loose, sandy, or gravelly soil it is practicable todischarge the sludge directly into the pit. In soils of this kind thelime which is formed by the decomposition of the carbid will pass offwith the water through the pores of the soil and will not accumulate in'the pit. In such a case the ejector, as herein illustrated, would not benecessary.

We have found that the construction herein illustrated and described isvery sensitive and reliable. The capacity of gasometer required is veryslight, as a slight fall of the gasometer is suflicient to cause thecarbid to be fed and more gas to be produced. The friction of theapparatus is very little, as there are no rubbing parts, and as thevalve is suspended at some little distance from the edges of thedischarge-opening it is impossible for it to become stuck and fail towork. In case, as sometimes happens, the vapors of the water in the tankact upon the carbid contained on the valve andexposed thereto, thiscarbid will decompose, forming acetylene and lime. The lime will thuspile upon the valve until it is sufticient to seal thedischarge-opening, when the slaking-action will cease. This lime beingvery friable offers very little resistance to the swinging of the valve,and if the valve were swung after the device has been out of operationand lime has thus formed it will first discharge the lime, but will notclose until carbid flows in sutficient amount that the gas generatedthereby causes the gasometer-bell to rise.

IVe claim 1. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with awater-tank, a gasometer and a carbid-holder having an opening adapted todischarge into said tank, of a swinging valve adapted to normally swingbeneath and to stop the flow of carbid from said opening, afixedly-pivoted lever engaging said valve to swing it back, a levercoacting therewith, a vertically-movable pivotal support for saidlast-mentioned lever and means for operating said levers by thegasometer-bell.

2. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with the water-tank, agasometer and a carbid-holder having an opening to discharge into saidtank, of a swinging valve adapted to normally swing beneath and to stopthe flow of carbid from said opening, a fixedlypivoted lever engagingsaid valve to swing it back, a lever coacting therewith, a limit-stopfor the connecting ends of both levers, a vertically-movable pivotalsupport for one of said levers and means for operating said levers bythe gasometer-bell.

3. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, agasometer and a carbid-holder having an opening adapted to dischargeinto said tank, of a swinging valve adapted to normally swing beneathand to stop the flow of carbid from said opening, a lever connected withsaid valve to swing it, a supporting-rod for said lever extendingoutside the tank where it may be manually operated without unsealing thetank, means for adjusting the rod to carry the lever at different levelsand means for swinging said lever by the fall of the gasometer.

4. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a water-tank, agasometer and a carbid-holder adapted to discharge into said tank, of aswinging valve adapted to control the discharge of carbid, a leverconnected with said valve to swing it, a supporting-rod for said leverextending through the top of the tank where it may be manually operatedwithout unsealing the tank, a water-sealed tube surrounding said rod,means for supporting the rod at different levels and means for swingingsaid lever by the fall of the gas ometer.

5. In an acetylene-generator, the combina tion with a water-tank, agasometer and a carbid-holder adapted to discharge into said tank, of aswinging valve adapted to control the discharge of the carbid, a leverconnected with said valve to swing it, a supporting-rod for said leverextending through the top of the tank where it may be manually operatedwithout unsealing the tank, a water-sealed tube surrounding said rod,means exterior to the tank for supporting said rod at difierent levelsand a rod carried by the gasometerbell and adapted to engage said leverby the fall of the bell.

6. A carbid-feed valve for acetylene-generators comprising asector-plate pivoted to swing beneath a carbid-discharge opening andhaving ribs upon its concave surface extending transversely of itsdirection of swing.

7. A carbid-feed valve for acetylene-generators comprising acounterweighted sectorplate pivoted to normally swing beneath acarbid-discharge opening and a stop adapted to engage said plate tolimit its swing in one direction.

8. In an acetylene-generator, the combination with a carbid-holder, agasometer and a hollow or bell base having a partition dividing it intotwo chambers connected respec tively with the carbid-holder to receivethe discharge therefrom and with the gasometer; said partition havinggas-conveying openings beneath the normal level of the water, of aWater-tank of relatively large capacity adapted to receive said base.

9. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a hollow or bell basedivided into two chambers connected by a passage beneath the WorkingWater-level, a gasometer connected with one of said chambers, acarbid-holder removably insertible' inthe other chamber, means forcontrolling the discharge of carbid by the position of thegasometer-bell and a relatively large water tank receiving said base.

10. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of agenerator having aremovable carbidholder, a gasometer and a hollow or bell base common togasometer and generator, with a Water-tank receiving said base, the basehaving a partition depending into the water and forming a Water sealbetween the generator and the gasometer; said tank having a relaof thegenerator inthe base.

11. The combination withan acetylene-generator, of a cleaning ordischarge pipe connected therewith, a receptacle receiving the dischargefrom said pipe, a suction dischargepipe leading from said receptacle, awater-actuated ejector to draw Water from said receptacle through saiddischarge-pipe and a water-supply pipe having a connection common withsaid ejectorand discharging into the generator.

12. The combination with an acetylene-generator, of a hydraulic ejectorfor discharging the contents thereof and a pipe having a water-supplycommon with said ejector and discharging into the generator-tank.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of the two following witnesses' FRANK H. MERRILL, FRANCISHIOKMAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM SWIFT, HENRY O. SUYDAM.

